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National Safety Council calls on drivers to exercise caution during long trips and issues recommendations about vehicle safety.

With the Fourth of July holiday weekend approaching, the National Safety Council is issuing safety recommendations so drivers can exercise caution to reduce the number of serious accidents and fatalities.

An estimated 466 people may be killed and an additional 53,600 may be seriously injured in motor vehicle crashes during the Independence Day weekend, highest predicted number of deaths the Council has released for the three-day holiday period since 2008, according to the NSC.

“The council issues these estimates not to scare drivers but to empower them to make safe decisions behind the wheel,” said Deborah A.P. Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council in a press statement. “We hope Americans will spend their holiday safely watching fireworks and celebrating with family rather than sitting in an emergency room.”

National Safety Council Driver Guidelines

Make sure every passenger buckles up every trip. The Council estimates 181 lives could be saved this holiday by seat belts.

Designate an alcohol and drug-free driver or arranging alternate transportation. Since 2010, more than 37 percent of all fatal crashes during each Fourth of July holiday have involved alcohol.

Get plenty of sleep and taking regular breaks to avoid fatigue on long trips.

Never use a cell phone behind the wheel, even hands-free.

Stay engaged with your teens’ driving habits. An NSC survey found many parents are more inclined to loosen household driving rules during the summer.

Learn about your vehicle’s safety systems and how to use them. MyCarDoesWhat? can help drivers understand the ins and outs of features such as adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, blind spot warning systems and backup cameras.

To learn more about NSC's Independence Day Traffic Fatality Estimate, click here.